Business Spotlight: Sam Wai Liquor

Alex Chin, owner of Sam Wai Liquor

Sam Wai Liquor
17 E Broadway # 4
(212) 962-2088

Welcome to Chinatown spoke with Longevity Fund grantee Alex Chin of Sam Wai Liquor. Located a block away from the Manhattan Bridge, this is the oldest liquor store in Chinatown with a liquor license going back 120 years.

Tell us about your business. 

We have been in business since 1997. A friend of mine told me the previous owner was ready to retire and asked if my wife and I had any interest in owning a business in Chinatown. At first, we didn’t know much about the liquor business but were enticed when we learned that liquor stores can only be open 6 days a week because you can’t sell liquor on Sundays. We liked that because we could have one day off to spend time with the family. But the law has changed, so we are now open 7 days a week. We try to find someone to cover the store for us on Sunday so we can have family time on the weekend.

Has this location always been a liquor store?

Yes, because liquor licenses are very strict – you can’t even move next door or across the street. The liquor license has to stay at this address.

How has the COVID pandemic affected your business?

It had a big impact on us because we do a lot of business with restaurants in Chinatown that host weddings and banquets. Since lockdown started, restaurants can’t have indoor events, so we lost a lot of business. So many restaurants closed, too. Jing Fong was one of our biggest clients, but they had to close.

People used to come to our store to get a bottle to bring to a restaurant with their friends, but now the restaurants can’t really open for dinner, so we also lost business there. We still have regulars who come in, but with everything shut down, we lost about 40-50% of our business. 

Have you had to change your hours?

We used to be open from 9 in the morning to 9 at night. Now there’s no business after 6 pm, so we close around 7 pm. In the beginning, we tried to stay open longer but didn’t see anyone outside so we closed early.

“Since lockdown started, restaurants can’t have indoor events … we lost about 40-50% of our business.”

How has the neighborhood changed in the past year?

Actually, it’s not just last year. It’s been changing a lot since we bought the store. Our customers used to be about 80% people from Chinatown, but over the years the older generation either passed away or moved away. Now more people from outside the neighborhood have moved into Chinatown.

So you had to adapt to new clientele?

Yes, people from surrounding neighborhoods like Tribeca move here because the rent is cheaper, there’s a lot of great food, and they like the culture. We are selling a lot more wine now.

Do you have an online store?

We don’t do any online business because the liquor business is very strict, and we don’t want to risk shipping something to someone who is underage. That’s why we only sell in-store so we can check IDs.

“Hopefully, everyone can have a positive attitude and work together. We can bring the good old days back to Chinatown!”

How will the Longevity Fund help your business?

We have a lot of expenses to pay every month, like rent. We really appreciate Welcome to Chinatown helping us out because we need all the help we can get to stay in business.

What do you hope to see in Chinatown after the pandemic?

I want to see people start to do more business in Chinatown. I want to see tourists return, and maybe people will stop moving out of the neighborhood. The sooner things go back to normal, the better.

Do you have words of encouragement and hope for your neighbors in Chinatown?

Hopefully, everyone can have a positive attitude and work together. We can bring the good old days back to Chinatown!

Chinatown small businesses like Sam Wai Liquor are what makes the spirit of our neighborhood. We need your support to keep that spirit alive. Please consider donating to The Longevity Fund, our small business relief fund, or help us spread the word of what’s at stake. Together, we can preserve Chinatown businesses and help keep Chinatown open for business. 

Photo Credit: Fuxuan Xin